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Def Leppard – Yeah! (2006)

Def Leppard – Yeah! (2006, Island)

1. 20th Century Boy (originally recorded by T.Rex in 1973)
2. Rock On (originally recorded by David Essex in 1973)
3. Hanging On The Telephone (originally recorded by The Nerves in 1977, and Blondie in 1978)
4. Waterloo Sunset (originally recorded by The Kinks in 1967)
5. Hell Raiser (originally recorded by Sweet in 1973)
6. 10538 Overture (originally recorded by Electric Light Orchestra in 1972)
7. Street Life (originally recorded by Roxy Music in 1973)
8. Drive-In Saturday (originally recorded by David Bowie in 1973)
9. Little Bit Of Love (originally recorded by Free in 1972)
10. The Golden Age Of Rock & Roll (originally recorded by Mott the Hoople in 1974)
11. No Matter What (originally recorded by Badfinger in 1970)
12. He’s Gonna Step On You Again (originally recorded by John Kongos in 1971)
13. Don’t Believe A Word (originally recorded by Thin Lizzy in 1976)
14. Stay With Me (originally recorded by Faces in 1971)

Target bonus tracks:
15. Action (Live 2005) (originally recorded by Sweet in 1975)
16. When I’m Dead And Gone (originally recorded by McGuinness Flint in 1970)

Best Buy bonus tracks:
15. No Matter What (Live 2005) (originally recorded by Badfinger in 1970)
16. Winter Song (originally recorded by Lindisfarne in 1970)

I’ve spent the last few days listening to this album after lifting my personal boycott. After giving this disc a fair listen (at least a dozen spins), I’ve decided that I don’t like it.

Is it the worst album ever made? No.
Is it Def Leppard’s finest moment? Certainly not.

Basically, the band decided a covers collection was a good idea. They play the songs as close to the original version as possible and they come out quite good. My favorite on this disc is Hellraiser, the band does a great take on this Sweet classic. If you take it for what it is, you’ll enjoy it. If you were looking for new material then you might be disappointed.

What I find interesting is that this release officially ends the band’s U.S. recording contract (according to Andrew at MelodicRock.com). After being moved to Island Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music and also home to Bon Jovi, Def Leppard has seen label support disappear. Island did nothing to promote the band’s last studio record, X, in the U.S. If the band used this disc as a stop-gap between releases, ended their recording commitments, and will release new material on a new label that will support them…..I’m a happy camper.

I’m largely disappointed by this album and, yes, I think “contractual obligation” is the way to look at it.

I can’t help myself, but looking at what these guys are/were capable of, this one just doesn’t cut it. “Bland” is the only word I can think of. It doesn’t tell me anything, doesn’t motivate me to listen to it more than a few times (have already sold my copy again) and doesn’t really let me hope for the future.

I can’t help being reminded of some of the stupid business descisions that Status Quo made when they tried to have themselves put on the map again after a dry spell (actually, those business moves put them into a dry spell, perpetuated that spell and literally required someone to die (manager) to get them out of it again).

Nothing that drastic is happening here, but I’d love to see that brilliance again that characterized the first two albums. Good melodies, good compositions altogether, “drive”, “energy” and “uniqueness”, the latter having been what put them onto my radar.

It’s time they get their shit together and show what they are capable of.

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